Omaha alt-country rockers Clarence Tilton roll into miniBar this Saturday

Clarence Tilton. // photo courtesy the artist

“To a teenager, it’s ‘What is that goofy shit?’ It took until we were grown to realize she was singing us some classics, took us until age 30 to realize, ‘That’s awesome,’” explains Chris Weber, co-lead guitarist and lead songwriter of Clarence Tilton of his and his brother Corey’s experience growing up in Nebraska.

“Our grandmother would sit in front of us and crank out these Hank Williams’ songs,” Weber continues. “She’s playing ‘Kaw-Liga’ and ‘Mule Skinner Blues.’”

Clarence Tilton, which features guitarist and vocalist brothers Weber, along with co-songwriter Paul Novak on guitar and vocals, Jarron Wayne Storm on drums and vocals, and Craig Meier on bass performs live at miniBar on Saturday, March 22, 2025, and they arrive with momentum.

“We are getting better at what we do,” says Weber. “The arrangements are better. The songwriting is better.”

It is both a leap in quality and in the company they keep. Collaborations with five-time Grammy winner and Country Music Hall of Famer Marty Stuart and Presley Tucker, the daughter of Tanya Tucker, ride within Clarence Tilton’s newest album, Queen of the Brawl, and it’s bevy of original material which proves the alt-country band is “Where we belong.”

Indeed, the Stuart collab “Fred’s Colt” is a revelation. The Weber’s harmonizing guitars weave the tale of an heirloom colt revolver while sitting atop a firm rhythmic foundation. Stuart’s ever-present guitar punctuates the weapon’s times of calm and fury as the separate solos from Stuart and Corey Weber release the freedom of the frontier, playing foil to the lyrics revealing the burden inherent in the life of a colt that both desperately assures and desperately destroys.

The infectious yet affecting vocal harmonies emphasize the honest facts leaving Stuart the stark, pointed phrases of the thrill and the heavy load of history. It is a polished rock sound wrapped in a country song filled with blue licks and some critical steel guitar that steers clear of glossy sheen. It is fresh, original, vibrant.

Both Stuart and Tucker’s dedication to their contributions stunned Weber. Tucker styled “Flyway Café”, a song that depicts “the bittersweet nature of holding onto something deeply personal, even as it holds you back,” into a classic Johnny Cash and June Carter dialogue, turning up the heart and grit.

Stuart was only asked to throw in a solo, “But he played the solo and played through the whole song with some of the coolest shit we’ve heard. It got us fired up.”

The fact that each tune was “in the can” before each guest approached it is pure endorsement. Heady stuff for a small-town band that plucked out its unique style from formative influences like The Allman Brothers, Thin Lizzy, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and The James Gang, and, most importantly, family and the life they grew to know. The Weber brothers’ mom and dad inspired their then-young sons to “burn out” 8-tracks of The Beatles’ Abbey Road and Neil Young’s Harvest).

“[We] entertain notions of drawing off history, a lot of our songs are based on telling the stories of our grandparents, telling people’s stories,” Weber intimates. “It’s a lot more rewarding. There’s always inspiration when you look around.”

Clarence Tilton have found inspiration in each other, as well. Though Chris and Corey have been two guitars and the truth for 35 years together, both they and their bandmates have been “very promiscuous with bands,” traversing 10-15 different bands together over time. “With Clarence Tilton (now 10 years on)–none of us have been in a band this long–it feels right.”

Clarence Tilton has released two full-length albums, 2015’s self-titled and Start Already Lost in 2019, along with an EP, Word Rolled In in 2018, yet they are “sitting on” about 50 songs. What will the Kansas City show feature?

“We will play a lot of what is on our new record along with some oldies that have always been around. We rehearse random songs, and I sneak attack them with a setlist before the show. They won’t know what will be on it until I hand it to them,” says Weber with more than a hint of mischief.

There is one other guarantee.

“We always include instrumentals,” relays Weber. “Corey and I both being guitarists first, we have stuff that we can’t fit into a song, a guitar riff that we build off of. We love how people are sometimes dumbfounded by how different it is. This one [on Queen of the Brawl] is called ‘Ray’s Stockyard Stomp’. Clarence Tilton is one grandfather; Ray is the other. They are some of the most fun songs we do; we get to show off.”

In addition to the diverse entertainment, the three bands will be sponsoring a diaper drive. Any attendee who brings a pack of unopened diapers will receive a complementary drink. The diapers will be donated to Amethyst Place, a Kansas City based long-term supportive housing program for women and children recovering from generational poverty, substance use, and trauma.

“Somebody has to do something good right now,” Weber states. “We are more than happy to make that part of the deal.”

Those who come out Saturday night will get their money’s worth.

“We are up there working hard, all playing, all singing, guitar harmonies, three-part vocal harmonies. We put a lot of thought into compositions and arrangements. Hopefully, [people] think, ‘Those guys work hard for the money.’”

Weber’s love of music and his love of performance crystalize as he discusses his band’s growth and the coming album, which is available for download on Friday, April 4.

“Being in a band for me is playing my guitar loud in an interesting room. I’ve never known life not doing it.

“I’m super proud of this album, and I can’t wait for people to hear it.”

Bring the “interesting,” Kansas City, and let Clarence Tilton and company be the inspiration.

Clarence Tilton plays MiniBar on Saturday, March 22, with Gullywasher and Big Fat Cow. Details on that show here.